Abstract

Rice evolved a diversified determinate inflorescence (also called panicle), and rice panicle development includes high orderly and complex biological events including the formation of lateral branches and spikelet organs. Understanding the mechanism of rice panicle morphogenesis is of importance in fundamental biology and helpful for crop improvement. In this chapter, we summarize the recent understanding of genetic regulators in determining rice panicle development ranging from the initiation of inflorescence, specification of lateral branches, spikelet organs, and reproductive cell formation.